any tips on 1st time atemot at trying to guide?

[Daniel-K]

my aim tonight is to try and get some sort of guiding going i have just boughyt a qhy5 and a st80 i have manged to get focus today with the qhy5 so im hoping that i might have some success tonight but if any one has any tips would be great

thanks

Danny

[Stephen]

Make sure you are trying to guide on a star, not a hot pixel

How are you connecting QHY to ST80? I used an 80mm t-thread extension tube (no diagonal.)

[Tinker1947]

This thread will interest me..

[Daniel-K]

i have a barlow with the lens taken out, ive also got and extension tube that all fits together in case it doesnt focus

[bamus]

make sure you take dark frame!

[Daniel-K]

how many callibration steps does it normally take?

[Digz]

The best advise I can give you is take your time, make sure you know how everything goes together (preferably practice putting it together / connecting everything up in the light)

I assume you will be using PHD? Make sure to calibrate before guiding, oh and be patient.

[earth titan]

make sure you take dark frame!

Can you expand on this? Why is important?

[Daniel-K]

ok got it guiding first time must be very lucky managed a 180sec sub with no trails but the LP was too much so im pleased at my first attempt

[bamus]

Can you expand on this? Why is important?

my first night with qhy5 was complete waste of time, as I could not see any stars due to noise levels. 2nd night when I found out about dark frame option in PHD gave me excellent results. many stars in my FOV and very low noise levels.

[ianaiken]

So to take a dark frame simply cap the scope and hit the button? Then that's it?

[bamus]

So to take a dark frame simply cap the scope and hit the button? Then that's it?

correct. maybe it is me being not clever enough, but at the begging I have tried to hit the button while exposures were looping. of course this could not work. make sure you take dark frame before exposures starts and every time you change exposure time.

[Spikey]

Click the brain and set noise reduction to 2x2 mean that can also help without having to take a dark.

[bamus]

Click the brain and set noise reduction to 2x2 mean that can also help without having to take a dark.

didnt know that. have to check it today (I hope )